The points of issue
Blue-green cloth stamped in black; illustrated in text by Bob Hines; copyright page states 'First Printing September 1955'; first-state dust jacket with the original unclipped price intact.
Is this the true first?
US Houghton Mifflin (Boston) is the true first; third and final volume of Carson's sea trilogy.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later trade printings carry a revised printing line; book-club copies typically lack the price on the jacket and the 'First Printing September 1955' statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Edge of the Sea a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Blue-green cloth stamped in black; illustrated in text by Bob Hines; copyright page states 'First Printing September 1955'; first-state dust jacket with the original unclipped price intact.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Houghton Mifflin (Boston) is the true first; third and final volume of Carson's sea trilogy.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later trade printings carry a revised printing line; book-club copies typically lack the price on the jacket and the 'First Printing September 1955' statement.
I have a first edition of The Edge of the Sea — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.